Love Like Thunder
by Frozen Orchid
Summary: In an attempt to ease his loneliness, Kaname adopts a kitten to keep him company. For a pureblood, taking care of a kitten is no sweat until said kitten gets itself into huge trouble, forcing Kaname to take desperate measures and enlist help from a certain grumpy hunter. Yaoi. Zero x Kaname.


_Hello! :3 This little idea came to me as I was working on another fic that was _supposed_ to be my first story if it weren't for writer's block lol xD, but I felt like this was much more fun to write than my other more serious, angsty story, so here it is! :D I'm excited yet nervous since this is going to be my first story on here, but I really hope that you'll like it. ^-^_

**Summary:**_ In an attempt to ease his loneliness, Kaname adopts a kitten to keep him company. For a pureblood, taking care of a kitten is no sweat until said kitten gets itself into huge trouble, forcing Kaname to take desperate measures and enlist help from a certain grumpy hunter. Yaoi. Zero x Kaname._

**Warnings:**___Yaoi lemons later on, angst, and violence. If any of this bothers you or may trigger bad feelings/thoughts please turn back. I'd hate to cause discomfort._

**Disclaimer:**___I don't own Vampire Knight or any of its characters, nor am I making money by writing this story. This is all just for fun. :)_

**Love Like Thunder**

**By Frozen Orchid**

**Chapter One: Balm For a Broken Heart**

It was midnight when the snow finally stopped falling, having covered a little over three feet of the grounds of Cross Academy. To other people, this would have been the sign to go out and enjoy the lovely blanket that had just been freely given, but for him, it was a sign that that time of year was getting closer. The time of year when, all those years ago, he had everything taken away from him and his life had practically ended.

Kaname pressed his cheek against the cool window, trying to push his depressing thoughts away. The whole year he had been preparing himself for these next few weeks, when he'd have little to no control over his emotions because of what happened almost six years ago. It was pathetic, really, what with him being a pureblood and having to be emotionless and powerful and all that, but that didn't mean he was invincible. Outwardly he may look cold and calculating, but inside he was a person with a heart and feelings, something which many people didn't believe.

This was why he never followed his friends on their vacations during this time. If he did so, then he would have done the unforgivable and displayed his weakness, something a pureblood would die before doing. So, he stayed, alone and holed up in his room in the Moon Dorms, letting his emotions run freely until the time came when he would have to put his mask back on.

_If only he had been stronger, had not second guessed… his parents might still be alive. _Kaname let out a sob at this thought, knowing that the irrational part of his mind was starting to take over, but he didn't bother fighting it. No one was here to see, so he could just let it all go. He let himself break down like this, let his tears flow freely as his chest heaved uncontrollably, his sobs and whimpers echoing in his large room. The hurt could never go away, so this was just how he dealt with it.

A good two hours had passed before he grew quiet, when his sobs had grown into hiccups and he had run out of tears to shed. He hugged his knees to his chest, leaning his head on them as he looked out the window again. The stars were out, comforting him with their light and making him feel not as alone as he really was.

_Did he really want to do this every year? Lose himself over and over with no one to comfort him until he finally did what everyone was waiting for and went mad?_

Kaname sniffled. No, of course he didn't. He wanted to be happy, but to be happy, he would have to forget his biggest failure that resulted in the death of his parents and the loss of his little sister. And he couldn't forget. Not now. Not ever.

Feeling another wave of depression hit him, Kaname slowly got up from his chair by the window and dragged himself over the short distance to his bed. With the covers up over his head and his face pressed into his pillow, he lost himself again, his grief so hard and tangible it could bounce off the walls, until sleep mercifully took him in its clutches and freed him from his pain, if only for a little while.

o/o

Kaname woke up at about noon, unable to sleep with the bright light from the cloudy sky bleeding through his window. He lay in bed for a while, wondering why everything was so quiet until he remembered that he was the only one in the Academy since everyone had gone home or somewhere for vacation.

When the silence became deafening instead of comforting, Kaname forced himself out of bed to the chair by the window. He pulled the curtains closed, blocking out the worst of the light but allowing him to see the goings on of the world outside. This was how it was going to be until everyone came back: him, the loner, looking out the window at the same scene in the morning, crying his heart out at night. He should have been used to it, but he wasn't.

A movement at the edge of his line of vision caused him to start. He had thought he was the only one here but he apparently wasn't. Zero Kiryuu was huddled up in a snow suit and jacket, trudging across the thick snow towards the Chairman's quarters. Behind him was a large bag of firewood. His deep footprints and the trail his dragging bag made marred the what-used-to-be untouched snow, but Kaname was actually glad that there was someone else here.

Maybe he could go and visit the hunter. The Chairman's living room would probably be warm and toasty looking at how much firewood Kiryuu was carrying. The idea seemed really attractive, and Kaname had almost gotten up to go when his resolve finally kicked in.

His usually pale face flushed in horror. What was he thinking? Kiryuu would only kick him out the moment he showed up, and it wasn't like he adored the hunter's company. That was his lonely, desperate self talking. Kaname groaned and slumped against the window, feeling hopeless.

But maybe instead of Kiryuu, he could find someone else to be around. But not just anyone, he wanted to be around someone who didn't hate him, who didn't worship him for the blood that ran through his veins, who only looked at him for _who_ he was instead of _what_ he was.

But there was nobody like that. Even if the Night Class were still here, none of them fit that description. He didn't hate them for it, but he wished they could cool it down a little, but of course they couldn't. He was a pureblood, they were nobles beneath him in the stupid vampire hierarchy, so it was a given.

And then it suddenly clicked. He didn't have to find someone, he could just buy one! Not a person, but… an animal, a pet. Something that didn't understand and know how messed up he was; something that would love him unconditionally.

Kaname actually smiled at the thought. No one could tell him no because he was a pureblood and he could do whatever he damn well wanted. Taking care of a pet would certainly be a thousand times easier than spending a day with the grumpy hunter. He would go right now, not caring that he was messing up his sleeping schedule.

Feeling dangerous hope surge through him, Kaname straight away went to his bathroom and got ready for this exciting day he was determined to have.

o/o

An hour later found Kaname standing inside the town's pet shop, and already he regretted coming here. Not because he had found a pet already, but because all the pets in the shop were acting up and having fits because of him. He cursed himself for not thinking this all the way through. It was common knowledge that animals weren't fond of vampires; how could he forget?

He had made a rash and impulsive decision, something a pureblood should never be caught doing. But since he was here already, he might as well carry out his not-well-thought-out plan to the end.

Stepping forward, Kaname tried to not to feel too hurt as all the animals in each cage he passed hissed, barked, or cowered away from him. Even the hamsters scurried into their little wheels to avoid him! He squared his shoulders and quickly made his way to the back of the shop where the cat section was. He had always preferred cats to dogs and birds; he just had to find an unbiased cat who didn't mind having a vampire as its new owner. If he couldn't find one then he'd leave, but that thought depressed Kaname deeply.

Kaname's heart sank even more as he approached the row of cages at the very back of the pet shop. All of the cats in each cage were scrambling against each other to get into the corner of the cage which was farthest from Kaname. Their meows and screeches of fear rang throughout the little shop, causing the other customers to look at him disapprovingly. He took a deep breath. _Okay, _he thought. _Not all cats could hate him, right? There's bound to be one..._

He walked past each cage, disappointment hitting him over and over when no cat seemed calm enough to approach him or even act like a normal cat would. All of them were too afraid, and for someone as broken as the pureblood, it really hurt.

He had looked at the last cage and ended up with the same result: all of the cats were afraid of him, in fact all of the animals in that shop were afraid of him. If he just went ahead and took one home it would probably die of a heart attack or shock. His shoulders slumped; he felt really stupid for coming here. Now he was going to have to tramp back across the snow-the roads hadn't been cleared yet so he couldn't hire a cab or have his driver take him-and go back to his lonely room where he'd just break down and would never come out again. He turned around and was about to leave when a soft, inquisitive "Meow?" made him stop abruptly.

Kaname tried not to be too hopeful as he faced that last cage again and looked down. There, sitting right in front of the thin metal bars and away from the rest of its terrified cagemates was a gray, white, and black-striped little kitten. Its head was tilted to the side, its emerald green eyes giving Kaname the once-over. Apparently Kaname had passed its test, since the kitten tilted its head back into regular position and leaned even closer to the cage's bars. It stuck its right paw out and shook it, as if reaching for Kaname. "Meow?"

Kaname couldn't believe it. He hadn't seen this kitten earlier but now it was right here and… it wasn't afraid of him. He knelt slowly, desperate not to scare it away, and lightly tapped its paw with his slender index finger. The kitten meowed again, pulling its paw back but not backing away. It regarded him thoughtfully, as if wondering why all its friends were terrified of this beautiful, insecure man. Kaname loved it instantly. This was the one.

"That's George," said a voice from behind. Kaname turned around to see a short blonde girl in the shop's uniform smiling at him. She came around and knelt next to Kaname and unlocked the cage, clicking her tongue at the other cats disapprovingly. She didn't know why they didn't like him; he seemed like a nice guy. But the minute she saw his lonely, sad-and gorgeous-form walk into the store she knew that little George would be the one for him. She scooped the kitten up in one hand and locked the cage with the other.

"So it's a boy," Kaname said, looking at the kitten with eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store.

The girl nodded. "Yup. He was just a newborn when his old owners brought him in. Nice kitty, doesn't bite or scratch, but he does like to get caught up in things. We named him after the monkey, Curious George." She rubbed George's head lovingly, making him purr. "Would you like to hold him?"

"Yes," Kaname said a little too quickly. The girl only chuckled at his excitement before she carefully placed George in his cupped hands.

The pureblood was stunned into silence as he held the tiny, soft body that fit perfectly in his hands. He lifted George a little closer to his face for a better look. The kitten struggled to get up on all fours, but he managed, and when he was close enough he tapped Kaname's cheek with his paw.

"Awwww," the girl cooed. "You like him, don't you, George?" It was precious watching the man brighten up with each passing second as he took in the being in his hands.

Kaname couldn't remember a time after his parents' deaths that he was this happy. He couldn't wait to take George home; he was elated at the thought that he wouldn't be alone anymore, that he would have someone to take care of. "I'll take him."

"Awesome." The girl stood up. "Come with me to the cash register. Don't drop him!" she warned as Kaname stood to follow. He didn't notice that the other animals in the store had finally stopped freaking out and instead were staring at him and George as if they had each grown an extra head.

Unfortunately, Kaname wasn't able to take George home with him right then, because the latter was due for his vaccinations the next day. He reluctantly handed the kitten back to the worker, petting him one last time before paying and signing the paperwork. _It's okay, he'll see him in two days._

When he exited the store, he was holding two large bags in each hand, each holding supplies, cat food, and toys. He had already decided that he would spoil this kitty rotten-it was his way of thanking George for being the only animal in there who had accepted him right away. He made a mental note to buy scratching posts and a litter box when he came back for him in two days.

Kaname chuckled as he began his trip back to Cross Academy. He had someone to come back for, someone who was waiting for him. Looks like he wouldn't regret this decision after all.

_Oh my gosh, I actually got this done in one day! *O* Lol, I know this isn't the best fic you've ever read but I hope you still-to some measure-liked or enjoyed it. This chapter is kinda short, but the next ones will hopefully be longer and with more Zero in them, yay! ^-^_

_If there's anybody wondering, I purposely made Kaname a little OOC mostly because he was alone for most of this chapter and it fit the theme for the story, but I promise that he'll get better as the chapters go by. ;D_


End file.
